Poison Apples
by Bloodfire87
Summary: HOLDING FOR SHORT PERIOD! AU, Relena searches for the man that can help her save her town, but there's a price that has to paid first. They both have to face their past to save the town. Yes, I suck at summaries, it's easier to just read
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do no own Gundam Wing characters or anything even remotely similar to them. I merely play with them and torture them. grin Well, that's about all I've got to say about that issue. Have fun reading "Poison Apples"

Poison Apples

Chapter 1

What were the odds of finding the right guy within a thousand miles of town for helping her with her problem? Oh yes, he was the right guy for the job. He was obnoxious, rude, and savagely appealing in a certain badass aura surrounding him where ever he was or who he was with.

She sat calmly on the top of the brick wall outside of one of the many broken down and abandoned homes on the outskirts of town. Her feet dangled down, crossed at the ankles; she stared up at the star studded sky. She listened to the steady rhythm of footsteps in the pitch black darkness. Her ears perked as they came closer and closer to her little refuge until a young man finally came within reach of the fringes of dim light from the street light a few feet away. He hadn't noticed her yet even though her white tank top glowed in the light, and her feet continued to dangle as she watched him closely. She grinned when she finally recognized the short mop of unruly dark hair and lean frame.

"Hello, Heero,"

He snapped his head to the right and narrowed his gleaming Prussian blue orbs on her. All he could make out was her white shirt and blue jeans which did nothing to hide her hour glass physique.

"Who are you? What do you want?" he growled.

"I'm hurt, Heero; don't you remember me?" she leaned over letting her low neckline go even lower to reveal a luscious view of creamy flesh and a heart-shaped face in the light.

"Relena, what are you doing here?"

"I need your help," she stated as she slid down to stand in front of him. She lifted her head to look him square in the eyes.

"I can't help you, Lena,"

"You haven't even listened to what I need you for, so you can't refuse yet," she stated grabbing his arm as he started to step around her.

"Relena, I'm not the nice, never-hurt-a-fly kind of guy anymore. He's dead; he has been for a long time now,"

"I know that, Heero; I know what you've been doing since you left Tender valley. I know you're a gun for hire, and it's why I need your help,"

"What?!" he looked back into her eyes to spot the unshed tears that hadn't been there before when she was the confident seductress, now she was uncertain and seemed almost fragile like at any second she would shatter into a million pieces.

"Lena, what's happened?"

"They're back, Heero, and they've murdered my parents. I know they did it, but everyone's put it as domestic murder and suicide. My father never so much as swatted a fly, and he would never dream of hurting Moma,"

"The courts tagged Mr. Darlian for murder,"

"It never went to court, Heero. I wasn't home when it all happened and as far as everyone's telling there wasn't any witnesses either, and all the police want to see it as murder/suicide,"

"Surely, there's someone there that would put it to court look at all the angles," Relena shook her head.

"No, after you left a few strangers came in and took over everything. They've got the mayor, judges, most of the police force under their thumbs. Everyone's scared to even attempt to go against them. Then, a few months ago Vipers showed up. A few people tried to stop them from robbing them blind but it all went badly and soon no one stood up to them except my parents. They fought to get them out with tooth and nail,"

"Where were you when it happened?"

"I had been out with Duo and Hilde at the football game and we'd staid out later than normal and when I got back," the tears finally fell and she collapsed against his chest, wrapping her arms around him.

"Alright, shh, it'll be alright," he murmured, wrapping his own arms around her until she calmed down.

"Heero, I need you're help, I just had to come and find you. Duo didn't want me to go alone, but I had to. He couldn't leave Hilde by herself, not there,"

"What do you want me to do?"

"Come back with me, I know you can get rid of them,"

"Lena,"

"Please, I have no where else to go,"

"What about your brother and his wife?"

"They're in Paris on their third honeymoon; when I left they still hadn't gotten there. Besides, you know we never got along he was always to protective,"

"Lena, I don't know if they'll even take me back. They'd see me as a worst threat then these new guys,"

"No, they won't,"

"I'm a permanent blood stain on their societal white robe. I'm the assassin remember,"

"Damnit, Heero! That's what we need. The entire town faculty is either to scared to do anything or to corrupt to give a shit,"

The two went silent as the crickets continued to chirp and the owls hoot across the sky. He sighed letting his head fall and eyes shut.

"Alright, I'll take you back as far as to the outskirts of town and I'll take a look around for a few days. See just who it is I'm dealing with,"

"Really?" '

"Yeah, I've got nothing better to do,"

Relena suddenly jumped up in the air and wound her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck. She smashed her mouth to his sending him back a few steps. She broke from his lips to stare into his wide eyes.

"You're wonderful, you know that?"

"No, I didn't,"

"Now you do," she grinned.

"Say, how long have you been looking for me?"

"I don't know, maybe six months, I'd hear a whisper about you in one town then when I'd get to that town you would've done left,"

"Six months, how long has your parents been dead?"

"Three years today,"

"Oh Baby," he held her tighter. She left tender kisses to his temple, cheek, and neck.

"I haven't heard that in a long time," she whispered.

"I've got a place where we can stay for the night; that way we can get a good start in the morning,"

"Take me away, Callaghan, take me away," she muttered sleepily.

He noticed the weariness that lined her stiff body. Her hair was dingy and wasn't as healthy looking as he remembered.

"When was the last time you slept?"

"I don't know; I'm in James Scott now, right?"

"Yeah,"

She lifted her head and he spotted the bags and dark circles beneath her sleepy aquamarine eyes.

"I found a nice elderly couple who let me burrow a room in West Beverly and the man drove me to Barker's Ville,"

"Barker's Ville, where the hell is that?"

"Two weeks walk from here," Her voice went quiet and her body went limp. He nearly dropped her from the sudden change. He let her legs fall then some how he managed to slip one arm beneath her knees but kept her head lying on his shoulder. He started down the sidewalk towards town where lights still flickered.

"Where's my sister, Maxwell? What have they done to my family?" a tall man fumed as he cornered a younger man. The younger man's chestnut bangs shadowed over his violet eyes that held there own uncertainties until the other's icy blue glare that was full of rage and hurt.

"I have no idea where she is by now. Its untellin' she left in the middle of the night before we were supposed to leave together. You see, she didn't want me to go with her because then Hilde'd be by herself and no one goes anywhere by themselves in this town any more. She'd be unprotected. I argued with her for a good eight hours after she got the idea then I kept arguin' with her until we agreed to leave that weekend,"

"But why would she leave in the first place, Maxwell? She should've staid here until I got here!"

The long haired and braided man suddenly went silent and turned his eyes down to the floor. The white-blond haired guy shook him by the shoulders.

"Where was she going? Answer me!"

"She was going after Heero Yuy; she got this idea into her head when she got that letter from Vipers after Mr. and Mrs. Darlian died. She got scared and he always seemed to be a comfort to her," he muttered.

"Heero Yuy, but he's dead,"

"No, he's not; he became an assassin after he was accused of murdering Mayor Stantor's secretary. We got word that he'd joined the military then the last thing that came back about him was that he's a gunman for hire,"

"And you were going to help her find him! Are you crazy?"

"Zechs, calm down, maybe this is a good thing. I know as well as you that Jim would never harm your mother or even attempt suicide. Maybe Heero could stand up to these men and get rid of them once and for all. She couldn't be in safer hands," a slim woman stated as she came up to them with a second young woman. The younger went over to Maxwell burrowing her face into his chest.

"Lu, she could still be out there looking for him. He could be anywhere; he might not even be in the United States of America. She's out there somewhere all alone," he collapsed into one of the rugged looking chairs covering his face with his hands. Lu went to her knees next to him and laid her head in his lap.

"She'll be alright, I know she is alright. She's a smart girl and she'll find him." She soothed.

(End chapter)


	2. Chapter 2

Again, I don't own them, wish I did but I don't. Thank you and please review….

Poison Apples

Chapter 2

Heero knocked his booted foot against the door of one of the houses that was completely in the dark. He waited silently; he glanced down to the shadow in his arms just as the porch light flicked on. He noted how serene she seemed to be when she sighed and turned her head into his chest.

"Heero; I thought you'd already left?"

"Can we come in?"

"Of course," he said not even noticing the blond in his friend's arms. He opened the door and finally spotted her.

"What the hell? Who's she?"

"She's a friend from a long time ago. We grew up together and from what I've gotten from her she's been through Hell and back several times,"

"Wait…wait…wait; now I'm confused. You know a girl?"

"Didn't you think I could know a girl? 

"Um, no," the blond stated bluntly.

"Anyway, we need to stay tonight. You care?"

"No, I don't just as long as you let the rest of us sleep," he grinned.

"Quatre, you don't have to worry about that tonight if I gather right she hasn't slept for nearly two weeks,"

"Do what?!"

"Shh, keep it down," Heero stepped around him into the din.

"Oh no, no couch for her. Take her up to Wufei or Trowa's room,"

"I ain't scaring her if she wakes up then,"

"Fine, take my room, I'll take the couch. She needs her sleep," he went over to the couch and fell back, instantly asleep again. Heero shook his head as he used his elbow to turn the light off and went upstairs to the blond Arabian's room.

He laid her down on the sand colored sheets that were tossed back from Quatre coming down stairs. He slid her worn tennis shoes and socks off then started with her jeans. She gave a soft moan and he paused. He smirked and went back to removing her clothes. He folded them haphazardly laying them on top of the dresser at the opposite wall from the bed. He covered her up; brushing a lock of hair behind her ear. She rolled over on her side with a sigh.

"Don't leave me, Heero," she whispered when he started to walk over to the door. He glanced back to see eyes barely opened but locked on him.

"I'm not leaving, don't worry you're safe now," he shrugged from his long trench coat, letting it drop to the floor.

"I'm cold," she whispered as she drifted back to sleep with a shiver. He stood for a few moments then toed off his boots and pulled his black shirt over his head. He dropped it and his belt with the boats and coat at the door. He went around to the other side and climbed in behind her back against his bare chest.

the next day

A red haired woman yawned as she plodded down the hall from her room and downstairs. She absently went past the din completely ignoring a snoring Quatre lying shirtless on the couch. She made it just past the door frame until she froze in mid-step and back tracked. Her gray-blue eyes stared with a gaped mouth. She went over to him and gave a quick hard shove to wake him up. He jerked up with a snore that was on the verge of a snort.

"What are you doing down here on the couch?" she asked.

"Oh, good morning, Cathy," he mumbled through a yawn.

"Good morning, but why aren't you in your bed?"

"Oh, Heero came back last night after had went to bed and he had a woman with him who needed some sleep desperately. At first I mentioned Wufei's room but that was squashed by the thought of needing to buy some Excedrin, so I just told him to take her up to my room,"

"Who is she?"

"He didn't tell me her name and she was a sleep in his arms. Heero should be up buy now," he said sniffing the air. The scent of bacon frying lifted Cathy's nose to the air and both were soon heading for the kitchen.

They stopped at the sight of a shirtless Heero leaning against the sink drinking a cup of coffee. He hadn't noticed them yet since his gaze was aimed at nothing but space in deep thought.

"So, who's the girl Quatre just told me about?' Cathy asked after getting a good look at her brother's friend's chest and abs. She grinned as he jumped nearly scolding his chest with hot liquid like he had his fingers.

""Shit, Cathy, could you not sneak up on a person," he growled setting the mug down and shaking his hand free of the caffeinated drops. He turned around to run cold water over them in one single motion.

"How, we've been talking all the way from the din and stood here for a good three minutes," she stated.

"Yeah, well, I didn't get much sleep last night," Heero grumbled.

"You were supposed to let her sleep," Quatre interrupted.

"The only time I touched her was to calm her down from her nightmares. I'm surprised you never heard her screaming,"

"I never heard anything," Cathy stated.

"Me either,"

"I'm surprised," Heero looked down to his hand that was raw red where the coffee had spilled over onto it. He fisted it then let it relax.

"Sorry 'bout that," Cathy cringed.

"I've had worse,"

"Who was screaming in the middle of the night? Onna, I know it was you!"

Cathy rolled her eyes and turned around just as Trowa and Wufei came to the doorway.

"Yuy, what are you doing here? I thought you had a job in San Antonio?"

"I did, but something came up that's more important," Heero answered as he turned the bacon off and removed the three pieces and placed them on a slice of bread with cheese on it. Cathy gagged as the group watched him squirt yellow mustard onto the crispy bacon.

"How can you eat that?"

"Rather easily," he took a bite then a swig of coffee.

"Onna, what caused you to scream so last night?" Wufei asked.

"It wasn't me; it was the girl that Heero brought over last night. She's the something that's more important," Cathy grinned.

Trowa lifted on eyebrow towards the shirtless assassin.

"It wasn't like that, Barton; she was having nightmares. She's been looking for me for six months. She wants my help to get her town back to the way it was before I left it, and to get back at the ones who murdered her parents,"

"Say what? She wants you to help her save her town, you the guy that kills people for money?" Cathy asked.

"Yeah, pretty much," Heero said finishing up his sandwich and coffee.

"How do you even know her? It could be a trap," Quatre stated.

"We grew up together, I grew up in that town with her parents," he went through the group and up the stairs. The group looked from one to the other than quickly followed him.

Heero came to a pause at the top and spun around.

"Cathy, could she borrow a few things?"

"Why not, I'm awake enough now to be helpful," she muttered as she went past him to her own room at the end of the hall.

Heero opened the door to Quatre's room and went over to the bed. He sat down on the edge facing her. He gently shook her bare shoulder.

"Lena, wake up. Would you like a shower before we leave?" 

"Heero," she moaned as she rolled over letting the covers come down to show her bra and boobs. He glanced over to the door to see the three guys staring; he pulled the sheet up then tossed clothes at them.

"Wash these while I get her up and in the shower,"

"How long has she worn these?" Quatre asked.

"I don't know, I only got to talk to her for short time before she passed out on me," Heero turned back to Relena as the guys left the hall.

"Come on, Relena, wake up. We've got a flight to catch in two hours. You can sleep then," he pulled her up to a sitting position, her head flopped back. He braced her up wit one arm as he tenderly patted her face.

"Wake up, I know you need some sleep, but you need a shower, too. Come on, Baby," he kept tapping her cheeks until her eyes fluttered open.

"There we go,"

"Heero, what are you doing here?" she asked.

"You were looking for me remember?"

Relena closed her eyes and pressed her hand to her forehead, and nodded her head.

"Okay, but where am I? We were in the street last night," she looked back at him.

"You're at a few friends of mine place. I'd been staying with them while I was here. You're safe,"

"Oh," she looked around the room at the many knickknacks that reminded her of an Arab influence. She glanced back to Heero to realize he wasn't wearing a shirt. She noticed the many scars that disfigured his bronze skin; she lifted her hand to caress one in particular. The scar was jagged and went from his right collar bone to just under his left nipple. She lifted her eyes to his, fighting back her tears.

"Why?" she waited a few seconds for his answer but all she received was a turn of his head.

He took the hand that was still on his chest and held it for a few seconds.

"Come on, let's get you in the shower before the guys get back up here," he stood up with his back to her as he heard the rustle of sheets. He then felt the whomp of a pillow hitting his back.

"Heero!"

"You're the one that rolled over not me," he smirked when he turned back around.

"Where are my clothes?"

"Quatre's washing them,"

"What am I going to wear until then?"

"First, you can take a shower; then you can barrow Cathy's clothes,"

"Cathy?"

"Oui, I am at your service," The two looked over to the doorway to see the red-head holding some jeans, a tee-shirt and a few other things.

Heero went over and picked up his shirt.

"You've got an hour until we need to catch a plane, Relena," he stated grabbing his boots and coat as well, then leaving the room.

The two women stared at each other in silence until Cathy finally broke it when she put the clothes on the bed.

"So, you're the girl, Heero brought in last night. He never has told us your name,"

"Oh, my name's Relena Darlian. You're Cathy, right?"

"Guilty. So, let's get you in the shower and into clean clothes," she smiled.

"Thank you very much for the use of your clothes until mine are clean," Relena slowly stood up in front of her still holding the sheet close. Cathy gasped when the material came open at her left side, Relena quickly closed it.

"What happened? Who did that to you?" the red-head asked as she opened it back to get a gull view of a burn scar that covered half of her ribcage and stomach to her belly button.

"It doesn't matter anymore; it was a long time ago," she covered it back up with the sheet and lifted her head up to hers.

"So, where's the shower?" she forced a grin onto her face while the other held tears in her eyes.

"This way," Relena followed her down the hall past a couple of doors.

(End chapter)


	3. Chapter 3

I'm getting tired of saying this already and this is only the 3rd chapter…I don't own 'em, never have never will. So there… sticks out tongue

Poison Apples

Chapter 3

Duo jumped at the sudden high pitched ring that let everyone know that someone was on the phone. He glanced to Hilde and Lu who were putting a puzzle together at the table. He shrugged then went out into the entrance hall where the phone was.

He reached it just as Zechs was coming down the stairs.

"Hello, Duo Maxwell here,"

"Duo, this is Heero,"

"Buddy, hot damn!" he exclaimed.

"Yeah, listen; I've got Relena here in James Scott. We'll be on a plane in two hours and heading that way,"

"Where the hell is James Scott?"

"Colorado, Baka, but keep it under your hat. I don't want people to know that I'm coming back,"

"No prob, Buddy, but I gotta tell ya Rel's brother is back,"

"Yeah, I kinda figured as much,"

"Take care,"

"Always," the phone went dead as he hung up. Duo hung up and turned to face the blond man.

"Who was that?"

"Heero and he's got your sister; they'll be here tomorrow,"

"Tomorrow, why the hell not today?"

"Because they're in Colorado and they've got to get on a plane,"

"Colorado, my sister's in Colorado?" he muttered.

"Evidently, but she's all right now. Heero's with her,"

Heero opened the door to the bathroom to find Relena stepping out of the shower and into a towel that Cathy was holding for her.

"Heero Yuy get out of here!" Cathy yelled.

"Keep your shirt on," He looked back to the wet blond.

"I called Duo to tell him that you were with me now and that we would be getting on a plane to get there," he came over closer. He pulled the towel away from her left side not taking his eyes from hers.

"Who did this to you?"

"It doesn't matter now, Heero, it happened after you left me," she turned her head away from his hard gaze.

"Yes, it does matter now, I can see it," he cupped his calloused hands to her soft cheek. She sighted into it with a small smile; her eyes fluttered open and gazed into his.

"Vipers, Heero, you know how I am. There was a group together around an older couple jabbing sticks at them. One of them grabbed the man's walking stick letting him fall to the sidewalk, and laughed at him.

"And of course, you ran to the rescue," Heero shook his head.

"I did, no one else was going to. There were at least twenty people around us and all they did was bat an eyelash or say someone aught to do something, and that just made me even madder. So, I ran over and elbowed my way through until I got to them,"

"What'd you use in your defense?" Cathy asked.

"I punched one of them and broke his nose to get there attention. Then, I grabbed one of the sticks off of the ground and swung at the rest of them. They left in a rush and I helped the couple home. That night they came to the house and broke in and brought me to City Hall where they hang out. They strapped me down and pressed a red hot brand to my skin," she shivered remembering every detail of that night. Heero pulled her into his arms and held her tight. He stood there listening to her quiet sobs.

Cathy stood there watching them for a few minutes with tears in her own eyes. She swiped them at them roughly.

"Alright you two, enough's enough. We better hurry up and get you dressed so we can get back to your home and do some cleaning up," she said rubbing her hands together.

"You're not going with us, Cathy,"

"Oh yes I am. I go where ever my brother goes," she stated crossing her arms over her chest.

"You're brother's not going either, no one is," Heero added.

"Oh yes, we are," the three turned to the door. Relena wrapped the towel around her tighter.

"For Heaven's sake," she muttered, she looked over to Heero who shrugged.

"No, it's too dangerous; the only reason I'm going back is to save the innocent people. No, I will not," Relena shook her head.

"Don't worry about us, Miss," Quatre grinned.

"You have no idea who you're dealing with. They're cold-blooded murderers. They laugh when they decide to hurt defenseless old men. They don't even regret the sins that they're committing," Relena ranted.

"If they're as bad as you say they are then Heero will need some help. We're all ex-military," Quatre said. Relena stared at them.

"But you're at least my age and I'm 21,"

"We were raised military, except for Cathy. She grew up in a circus with her parents, but all the rest of us are full blooded military," the blond guy returned.

"This is my fault,"

Relena looked up to his face to see the same self-loathing that she had heard in his voice. She turned his head to face her.

"This is not your fault, Heero Yuy. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have gone out to find you. I should have just dealt with it myself. Excuse me," she turned and pushed through the crowd and disappeared into the room where she had fallen asleep.

"What's with you two, Yuy?" Trowa asked.

"Nothing," he muttered as he left the same way only he continued on downstairs.

The guys jerked over to Cathy at her gasp.

"What is it, Sis?"

"They were in love, of course it all makes sense now,"

"What does?"

"In the five years that you've known Heero has he ever acted more human than he is since Relena came to find him? The only way I've ever known him is to be silent, cold, and non-caring. Look at him now he's held her in his arms so much that I'm envious. It all makes sense now, but something happened to drive him away from her, away from home. Don't you see, she's where he belongs, he's been searching for so long,"

"You've lost it, completely. Yuy wouldn't fall for some onna, it's just not him," Wufei grumbled.

"He's human, Wufei, he's also a guy and Relena is a very beautiful woman once you've cleaned her up. Do you realize that she's been walking and hitch-hiking from a little town in the mountains of Tennessee all the way in a round about direction,"

"She didn't bring any clothes with her?" Wufei questioned.

"She did, she had a backpack full of supplies but around the Ohio area she was attached and everything except for the clothes on her back were stolen. She also told me that if it wasn't for a few strangers helping her along the way she wouldn't be here with us. If just a few things of what she's told me are true than she has had a hard time trying to find our good friend Heero Yuy," Cathy nodded her head.

Relena sat on the bed, her knees tucked up against her chest and her back against the head board. Tears cascaded down her cheeks and drip down to leave watermarks on the green turtle neck that Cathy had lent her. She bit her lower lip as old memories flashed through her mind, she even gave a small smile at one in particular.

Flashback

A six year old Relena twirled around and around lifting her face up to the clear blue sky. Her high and gleeful laughter wafted through the air in elegant notes of melody until they reached the ears of a group of adults and twelve year old boy with white blond hair. The little girl stopped spinning and fell back on the ground instantly staining the white sundress that her mother had bought for this exact occasion. She continued to laugh even as a boy the same age as her ran over.

He stood with his small fists slammed to his bony hips and a stern look in his big Prussian blue eyes. Even then his black hair was kept short and always messy as if he had never combed it a day in his life.

"Lena, why'd you fall down like that for? You get hurt,"

"You worry too much, Heero. What's life without a few bumps and bruises?" she smiled up at him but was thrown into a second fit of giggles from looking at him up-side down.

"What now?" He asked.

"You look funny when up-side down," she somehow managed to say between giggles.

"Har, har, har, you're so funny," he crossed his legs and fell down to sit Indian style. She rolled her eyes and rolled over on her stomach. She propped her head up on the heels of her hands to look up at him. She noticed his jeans were mostly wholes and very dirty and that is gray tee-shirt was too big for him and his scrawny shoulder peeked out from the neck hole.

"Don't be such a fuddy-duddy, Heero,"

"What's a fuddy-duddy?"

"Ya know a guy that's always so boring," her legs swung back and forth and she completely ignored her dress falling down to her bottom.

"I'm not boring!" he squealed.

"Relena, Heero, time for cake!" one of the adults called.

"Coming, Mommy!" Relena answered, she looked back to her friend with a smirk.

"If you're not boring than race me to the house," Before Heero could answer she had already rolled over and was on her feet running for the group.

"Hey, no fair!" he yelled jumping up and ran after her. They were both laughing by the time they reached the outside table where the adults and the other twelve year olds were circled around it.

End flashback

"Why can't we go back to those days? We didn't have to worry about trying to survive on our own," she muttered to herself.

Heero fell back into the old couch with a heart-broken sigh. He let his head fall to the back of it with a thump.

"Alright, Yuy, what happened with you two?"

Heero kept his eyes closed as the rumble of feet came into the room.

"Don't worry about it, Wufei. It happened a long time ago, and there's nothing we can do about it now," he muttered.

"Oh no, since she's gotten here you've been so out of character that it's almost scary," Quatre stated.

"Drop it," Heero growled.

"If you don't tell us then we'll talk to this guy Duo Maxwell. I'm sure he'll know. You've called him and Relena talked about the three of you growing up together,"

"You're not going; none of you are," he stated finally opening his eyes to glare at the group of guys.

"Sure we are, I did some research on this Vipers deal and you're going to need some help,"

"It's to dangerous, you're my friends and I won't put you in anymore danger than is necessary,"

"Heero, you're not immortal; you can't do this on your own,"

"I have to Quatre," he stood up and started for the door. Relena came into view looking completely different from last night. She looked back to Cathy.

"I'll send your clothes back to you. Thank you so much, all of you," she said a small smile gracing her lips. She went over to Quatre and gave him a hug.

"Thank you very much for opening the door last night and helping me as you did. Thank you very much," she kissed his cheek then went over to Heero.

"Ready?"

"Yeah, I'm ready." She stated as she slipped her hand into his. She smiled as he gently squeezed it. She looked up to him as he spoke to the group.

"You're not coming with us, and no following either,"

"But Heero," Cathy started.

"No," he interrupted.

(end chapter)


	4. Chapter 4

Don't own….sigh

Poison Apples

Chapter 4

"Where are they, Maxwell? The flight from Colorado came in hours ago, and it doesn't take that long to get from the airport to here," Zechs growled.

"They're probably stuck in traffic, Honey," Lu soothed.

The back door creaked open and they all looked to each other. Duo and Zechs instantly reached for the two shot guns that they kept in what ever room they were in. They motioned for the girls to stay and went towards the kitchen.

They paused at the open doorway to hear whispered voices; they nodded to each other and jumped out cocking their rifles. What they found was a semi-automatic Magnum and a third rifle aimed at them.

"Shit, you guys scared the hell out of us," Duo ranted as he lowered his shot gun along with Zechs, Relena, and Heero.

"Feelings mutual," Relena sighed and then grinned and ran to give each a fierce hug.

"Where's Lu and Hilde,"

"They're in the din huddled in a corner with their own artillery," Duo stated.

"Alright, oh I missed you guys," she left through the house towards her friends.

Duo looked back to the man that he hadn't seen in close to five years. He glanced over his well worn leather jacket, jeans, and boots. He spotted the scars that marked his face and one that ringed his throat. He gave a soft sigh then grinned.

"Son of a bitch, it's been a long time, Buddy,"

"Yeah, it has," they came together in a manly sort of put on the back hug. Heero then looked to the older brother that had left long before he had.

"Zechs," he nodded.

"What took so long?"

"We had to wait until nightfall to get here. It's not safe for her to walk around in broad daylight with Vipers after her,"

"Why are they after her?" Zechs asked.

"Because she won't be complacent with the lie that they are feeding everybody. She won't sit back and watch as they take over the town. They're out to kill her, she knows it,"

"Maxwell?"

"I knew that they had made threats, everyone kept a close eye on her. Everyone knew that she didn't want them here and she did something to try and dare them away. Nothing major but just small things; like stand up in front of them if they were beating on innocents, kids and older people. She's tried multiple times to get a trial over her parents' murders. I'm surprised they haven't done anything to her before she left to find him," Duo explained. He watched as Heero slipped his gun around his back and into the waist band of his jeans.

"They have, she told me about a time when they had kidnapped her from her room and taken her to their lair and burnt her badly on her left side and half of her stomach. I've seen a few other places on her body where they attacked her,"

"She never told us this," Duo stated.

"You haven't seen it, and she hasn't had to explain it. Don't confront her with it, Duo. It's a sensitive topic for her,"

"I won't bring it up, but I'm a little hurt. Why'd she tell you about it when she didn't tell me?"

"I told you, Maxwell, I saw it and I didn't leave her alone about it until she told me,"

"But how'd you see it?"

"Don't worry about it. Let's go see how the girls are," he stated brushing past them.

"Hilde, Lu, are you in here? It's me Relena," she cautiously entered the room. Two heads popped up from behind the love seat.

"Relena, you're here!" they jeered.

They ran up to her and gave her a huge hug that nearly squeezed the life out of her.

"We were so worried about you when we came home and you weren't here. Zechs nearly tore the town apart looking for you. We came to know that you were all alone. I think I've cried everyday since then,"

"That's not like you, Lu,"

"I know, and I haven't felt like myself for awhile now," she mentioned. Relena and Hilde glanced to each other and nodded.

"Have you had any nausea of the morning, any odd cravings? Have you missed?" Relena asked.

"Oh my goodness,"

"You have, haven't you?" the girls squealed and they were instantly in a group hug and jumping up and down laughing with joy.

The guys looked to each other then back to the three girls as if they had finally lost their nminds.

"Should I be worried on whether you have lost your minds?" Duo asked with an arched eyebrow.

"We're fine; in fact we're perfect," Relena stated. She went over to Heero and wrapped her arms around him with her own smile to her face.

She looked up into his eyes to see him watching Duo and Hilde together. She slid her hand around between his coat and jeans to slid it into his back pocket; she grinned impishly when he looked down to her. She caught only a slight glimpse of his own smirk before he closed the distance between them with a deep kiss. She was oblivious to the rest of the group within seconds of the embrace, even when her brother started to sputter and curse at the same time.

Lu slapped her hand to the back of his white blond head and he glared at his wife.

"What is wrong with you? You've been acting as odd as a fish walking out of a lake," he asked just as Duo wistled at the younger couple.

"It's about time you two got together again. It was kind of lonely being the only one who had a girlfriend to smooch with," the braided teen stated as Heero pulled himself from Relena.

"Yeah, together," he muttered not taking his eyes away from hers. She gave him her own small yet sad grin.

"Come on, you can tell us everything that happened to you tomorrow, but right now we all need our sleep. It's late and you've got a big day ahead of you tomorrow," Lu stated watching the new couple gaze at one another sending each other silent messages. She pulled her husband's arm towards the narrow staircase to their left. She looked over to Hilde who was doing the same thing with Duo; they nodded to each other.

"Heero, I believe the room that you used to stay in when we were younger is still in decent cleaniness, and I think its right across the hall from Relena's room," Hilde stated.

"Alright, thanks Hilde," Heero absently said to the black haired pixie.

"Now wait just a minute, my sister isn't going to,"

"Hush, Zechs, she'll be fine. We're all on the same floor even the same hall. The house isn't huge so there won't be any worries. We're all light sleepers," Lu interrupted with a smirk gracing her lips.

"Well, you, Zechs, Heero, and me are light sleepers, but Duo's a whole other matter," Hilde stated with a impish grin all her own. She twirled a finger in a loch of her boyfriend's loose chestnut brown hair that dangled in front of his violet eyes. Duo ignored the remark about his sleeping state at the prospect of the night's occasion. He smirked.

"Good night, everyone, I will see you all in the morning," With that he lead Hilde up the stairs; the group shook their heads at the sound of the pixie's giggles. Zechs looked over to his sister and the young man that he thought was dead.

"Why did everyone assume you were dead?"

Heero looked over to the white blond man to see only a slight resemblance to the blond woman in his arms.

"I thought it better for everyone to think of me being dead instead of alive and in the line of work that everyone knew that would persue,"

"Oh, Heero, is it true?" Lu asked.

"What's true?" the younger asked.

"Nevermind," she stated a gleam in her eyes. She held Zechs' hand and led him upstairs to their own room; she listened to them whisper.

"Don't leave me alone tonight. I heard Wufei and the others fuss about my nightmares and I don't want the others to know. You can help keep me at least a little quieter,"

"I'll do whatever you want me too," he answered. He leaned over and laid his lips to hers in a slow and tender kiss that left him aching and wanting so much more from her.

She felt the desire exploide from deep inside her, and she longed for more. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled herself closer to his warmth. Her fingers wound up into the short black hairs at the nape of his neck. She let a soft moan escape from her throat as he deepened the kiss once she opened up to it. Heero pulled back from her to spot the confusion spark in her aquamarine eyes.

"I've done so much, Lena. How can you stand to be near me?"

"I know who you are, Heero, and I know that you aren't what every one else says about you. You are Heero Yuy, and you are a good man," she stated framing his face in her hands. She gazed into his eyes that were filled uncertainty.

"But how do you know this? I've been gone for nearly five years. We were seventeen years old when I had to leave this town,"

"You're standing right in front of me, and I can still see the little boy that kept me out of trouble. I can still see the little boy that I came to love with all my heart; I can still see the young man who I gave myself to when I was sixteen years old," she stated with a small smile that lifted her lips.

"Lena,"

Relena interrupted him with a finger placed on his mouth.

"Shush, there's nothing to worry about now. It's in the past and right now the thing that we need to worry about is Vipers and this poor town," she said with a sad smile on her face. Heero nodded his head slowly and then lifted her hand up to his lips where he kissed her soft knuckles.

(end chapter)


	5. Chapter 5

Dido for all the other chapters.

Poison Apples

Chapter 5

"Are you sure about this? I mean didn't Heero and Relena say that it was a bad idea to follow them?" Quatre asked as they went with the crowd getting off of the airplane from Colorado. He glanced around him at the many people who had turned their attention towards him at the sound of the names. He nudged Trowa in the side and motioned to the crowd when they quickly turned their heads from them.

"They didn't technically tell us that it was a bad idea, they just told us that they didn't want us to follow because they thought it was too dangerous," Cathy stated.

"Isn't that the same thing as it being to dangerous because we came because we thought it was too dangerous for them to go it alone," the blond Arabian descendent wondered. Cathy glanced over at him over the top of her sunglasses.

"Come on, everyone here knows that he needs our help, and I don't know about you but in just the few hours that I saw Relena; I grew rather fond of her. She had just enough pizzazz to her that she kept Heero on his toes,"

An older woman turned towards them with a look of distrust. She slowly shook her head and went over to them. She stop behind Quatre and tapped his shoulder.

"Excuse me, gentlemen, but did I hear you talking about a Heero and Relena?"

The group looked from one to the other, skepticism evident on their faces.

"Yes, ma'am, why would you ask?" Quatre asked slowly.

"I should probably tell you that they aren't wanted here, and that if you see them again; tell them to get out of town as soon as possible," she stated and started to go off in the opposite direction.

"Wait, why would you tell us that? How do you even know if we're friends of theirs?" Quatre asked. The woman glanced back to him.

"I know by how you all are talking about them. You're worried about them, and since you are I should warn you that no one wants them here. They're a menace to our little town; they'll just cause more harm for everyone,"

"Lady, as far as we've heard you all are in worse shape since they left," Cathy stated.

"Listen, they aren't wanted here, and if you're not careful the only thing that will come of their and your being here is that somebody is going to get hurt. Or worse, someone could get killed," she then turned away from them and disappeared through the crowd that seemed to have grown even bigger. The crew looked to each other and back again.

"Come on; we better find where this Duo Maxwell guy lives," Quatre stated with a sigh all his own.

His eyes slowly cracked open his eyes and yawned. He absently heard the monotone alarm clock from another room down the hall, but the sound that took his full attention was the soft groan next to him. He glanced down to see a blond head lying on his bare chest; he let the corner of his mouth lift into a grin. He watched his own hand come up to caress back a loch of hair from her slumbering face. He gazed at her pristine cheek and couldn't resist the urge to lean over and kiss her temple. She sighed and snuggled up closer to the warmth that he gave beneath the covers.

He laid his cheek down against the top of her head just as the door opened to the room. He shut his eyes instantly and acted as if was a sleep.

"What the hell? What is he doing in my sister's room, not to mention her bed with her?" Zechs' voice came from the doorway.

"Honey, she needs all the security that she can get. You know that Vipers will do anything to get to her. You remember what happened last week, they nearly killed Duo just trying to get where she had went,"

"Of course, I remember, Lu, but I still don't trust him. You never know what has happened to him or how he has turned out,"

"Zechs, I watched the two of them last night, and I don't think Heero is going to hurt her. I believe that he will do everything in his power to keep her safe at all cost. I trust him. Now, come on, let them sleep," Zechs continued to watch them sleep with a look of uncertainty.

"Close the door, let them sleep as long as they want. They deserve it,"

"Lu, she's been gone so long; I want to know what happened to her. I've been gone so long, she's been on her own for so long,"

"She's done rather well for herself so I wouldn't be too worried about her. She's had Hilde and Duo with her through the whole ordeal, and now she has Heero with her," Lu stated. Zechs continued to shake his head as she tugged him from the room.

Heero lifted Relena's head from his chest, and carefully slid out from under the covers. He watched her snuggle up closer to the spot where he had been and let out a soft sigh. He then went over and tugged his jeans up over his black boxers, but left them unbuttoned. He opened the door to see Lu and Zechs stop at the sound. Lu gasped and covered her mouth as she stared at the sight of the many scares covering the young man chest. She took a few steps for him until she came up in front. She cautiously lifted her hand up to cup his face as tears filled her eyes.

"Oh, honey, what has happened to you?" she asked.

"Don't worry about it, Lu," he looked beyond the woman to the tall man that at one point he had called a big brother, but not any more. He hated for a long time.

"What's going on, Zechs? How deep is she in?" he asked not taking his eyes from his. He closed the door behind him and leaned back against it. He leisurely crossed his arms over his chest and absently over lapped his ankles.

"It's getting bad. They some how got a hold of Duo just last week and tried to get where she was at out of him. The dumped in on the porch when they realized they couldn't get anything out of him. I'm surprised that he's even up and about with Hilde,"

"They came after Duo? Damn, they're after her more than I thought," he muttered. He lowered his head into his rough hands, scrubbing them up and down.

"Heero, what do you need us to do?" Lu asked as he lifted his head.

"I need everyone to keep it under their hat about us being back into town. The longer we keep it quite the more I can find out about who I'm dealing with," Lu nodded her head and turned to her husband.

"You go on down, Lu; I need to speak with Heero," the white blond haired guy stated but he kept his gaze on the teen assassin.

"Honey," she whispered.

"Don't worry, Lu, Relena's is on the other side of the door. He won't cause a fight because it would wake her up," Heero informed as he once again relaxed against the door frame. His Prussian blue orbs seemed to glow in the light that shown to his left. The shadows that concealed half his face seemed almost menacing when he turned his stare to her. She couldn't help but shiver before she nodded her head. She slowly went past her husband and down the stairs to the kitchen.

"How are you going to go about finding more information about them when you want to keep us quite about your being here? I don't quite understand that train of thought,"

"Where exactly is their lair, so to speak?" Heero asked instead of giving him a straight answer.

"I don't know," he sighed.

"Don't give me that bull shit, Zechs, you know and I want to know. I have to know, the sooner I get them out of town the sooner Relena and the rest of you get back to your lives,"

"You mean to tell me that once you 'get rid' of Vipers that you're going to be leaving again?"

"I can't stay here; I shouldn't even have come here now. I remember what they told me before I left. I know what they'll do to me if they get a hold of me, even if I help them," he unfolded his arms and began to pace the hallway in front of the door.

Duo gently cracked his bedroom door at the sound of voice down the hall. He peered through just enough to get a good look at who was out there. He watched his best friend pace back and forth in front of Relena's room. He couldn't help goggle at the scars that distorted his back and chest. He recognized some of them being from bullets then there were some that seemed to resemble a slash of some kind. There was one though that nearly caused him to gag in place; he spotted a burn that wrapped around the front of his throat that he knew to be from a rope. Why hadn't he seen it last night? He ponderings were silence at the older man's words.

"Why did you leave? We know that you hadn't killed his secretary, we could have put a defense together,"

"You don't get it, that wasn't the only thing that drove me off. Besides Jim wouldn't have helped me anyway; so much had happed that you didn't even know about," Heero shook his head.

"What are you talking about? I knew about everything that happened with my family,"

"Oh no, Relena, Jim, and I all agreed not to tell anyone. Didn't you notice that Jim never really wanted me around after a certain point. Didn't you ever notice that I didn't come around at all but Relena was always with me?"

"Yeah, I noticed so did Mom, we just figured that you were getting tired of hanging out with the family,"

"Zechs, your family was the only family I had at that time,"

"Then what happened? I want to know everything. Damnit, I deserve to know; it could very well help in this thing with my sister,"

"Keep it down. Talk to Relena about it because I promised her that I wouldn't say anything about it ever again,"

Duo listened as a door was opened.

"Heero, just tell me one thing," There was a long pause before Heero spoke up.

"What?"

"After you left Jim would take Relena out of town every so often. Why would he do that?"

"I can't answer that, it goes along with what you need to ask Relena about,"

Duo listened as the door closed and as Zechs began to mutter as footsteps echoed through the house. He shook his head a look of utter confusion plastered onto it.

"Duo, what's going on?" a sleepy Hilde asked. She lifted her head up from the pillow to watch her boyfriend slowly come back to the bed.

"Hilde, do you know why Mr. Darlian would take Relena out of town for a little while?"

"No, I have no idea. She would just tell me that it was something that she had to do; I remember that she mentioned family one time I asked her about it, but that was about it. Maybe you should ask her yourself?" she muttered sleepily. She snuggled up against him once he was under the covers.

He stared up at the ceiling, his hands folded beneath his head. _What is going on? How come all this is just now coming up? _

Cathy continued to look around her as the crowd of people stared after them. She tightened her hold on her brother's arm as she inched even closer to him.

"Guys, I'm beginning to regret our decision to follow them to this little town," she muttered.

"It's to late now, we're in for the long hall," Quatre stated as he glanced back to her.

"There it is," Trowa said as he spotted the mailbox that had the name Maxwell in peeling letters. He looked up to the front of the house to see one of the curtains falling back into place.

"Guys, we may want to be cautious until we figure out if this is the right house," he added.

"Come on, lets get this over with," Wufei grumbled. The four of them went up to the covered porch and stopped at the door. Cathy, Wufei and Trowa nodded to Quatre. He sighed and knocked on the door. They waited patiently as they heard feet walking around inside.

Heero stood in the shadows in perfect sights of the door and Zechs. He nodded to the blond man and he cracked the door to see the group of teenagers.

"Who are you and what do you want?" he asked carefully scrutinizing each of them.

"We're friends of Heero Yuy's, and we're looking for Duo Maxwell so we can find our friend," Quatre stated plainly. He watched the man glance over his shoulder then turn back to them. He opened the door wider and let them in.

"Hurry up, before anyone sees you come inside," he growled. He snapped the door shut a second after Cathy stepped through it. She squeaked and the sudden noise, and held even tighter.

"Cathy, let up will you? I can't fill my arm," Trowa stated.

"What the hell are you all doing here?" Heero stormed from the shadows. They watched him slid his gun to the back of his jeans. The black shirt that he wore was untucked and unbuttoned to give a certain extra sexiness to him.

"We knew you needed help with these guys," Quatre stated.

"Does anyone know you're here and looking for me?" Heero asked as he shoved through them to get to the kitchen. The group followed him while Zechs followed them.

"What are you talking about?"

"The town is out for blood with me and I'm not sure if it isn't the same with Relena now," he added as he opened the refrigerator door.

"So that's what she meant?"

"What who meant?" Heero asked staring at Cathy.

"Well, when we first got here we were talking and your and Relena's name came up and this old woman came up and said to tell you that neither one of you were wanted here anymore; the sooner you get out the better," she informed.

"Damn! That means its only a matter of time before Vipers knows that we're back in town," he slammed the door shut and turned towards the open doorway.

"What's going on here? What are you all doing here? We told you it was to dangerous," The group looked back to see Relena standing in a pair of cut off jeans and sleeveless tee-shirt, her hair was pulled back into a high ponytail.

"We came to help," Cathy stated.

"But what they did was screw everything up. Vipers will know that we're here at any," he was cut off instantly as window right beside him was shattered. He fell to the floor with everyone else and covered his head; he glanced up long enough to see Relena staring at him. He crawled over to her as bullets began to rip through the windows. He reached her just as a bullet bounced from the steel refrigerator and into his back. He jerked as his hand grabbed hold of hers.

"We gotta get out of this room!" he yelled. He pulled himself up to his feet with Relena huddled beneath him. He glanced back only long enough to make sure everyone was following at a crouched position. As they went through the din bullets continued to rain on them.

"Heero, what the hell is going on?" Duo yelled to him as they grouped together behind the protection of an up turn dining table. Heero glanced around to see Hilde, and the rest of the group, but one person was missing. He snapped his eyes to Duo's.

"Where's Lu?" Relena asked her eyes were wide with fear that was evident. She glanced back to her brother to see the same fear in his own eyes.

"Where was she at?" Heero asked.

"She was in the laundry room,"

"Stay here," Heero ordered; he didn't wait for anyone to argue. He crouched as low as he could, dodging bullets as best he could.

He heard the door crash against the jams and feet stomping through the mud-room. He peered around the side of the wall to see a group of men wearing only black except for a bright neon green bandanna tied around their right upper arms. He pulled out his gun and cocked it. He jumped out and rolled firing his Magnum handgun at the group sending them into chaos. They instantly began to fire back once they were decently hidden in the small room. Shards of the wall flew around him slicing through the flimsy shirt and burying into his skin. He had already turned his mind off to the pain that was searing through his body.

He aimed his gun steadily while they popped shots in every direction. He capped them off one by one. His eyes swept over the sight of all the crimson blood that was sprayed across the walls and floor. _Keep focused, Heero. You have to get to Lu and keep her safe._ He snapped his eyes back to business; there was one left. He narrowed his gaze on him and fired his gun; he jerked it up at the last second as the sound of a scream pierced his heart. He barely even registered that the guy was falling or that all the others were crumbled on the floor covered in their blood.

He burst through the door to see dark haired woman being held down to floor. She kicked and screamed and punched her fists into any area that she could reach.

"Let her go!" Heero yelled to the guy. He continued to aim his gun even though he had already calculated that he had no remaining bullets. The Viper managed to glance over his shoulder with a smirk covering his busted up face. He shoved her legs apart with his own and forced her wrists down with his hands.

"You want to watch, punk? Very unsporting of you," he pondered sarcasms dripping from his words.

"I said let her go," Heero growled.

"Make me,"

"Heero," Lu muttered through her tears. The two locked gazes and his insides turned upside down instantly.

"You're Heero Yuy, I find that hard to believe. What's kid like you doing back in this town? Wait I know; you're here to get your hands on that pretty blond girl again aren't you? She is a catch, ain't she?" the Viper grinned in his direction and it sent chills down his spine.

"You won't touch her," Heero growled.

"Oh really now?" He slowly got up but kept a tight hold on Lu. He spun her around laughing at her yelp when he placed the barrel of his gun to her temple. She held her eyes on Heero's urging him for help.

"Let her go," the teen growled each word out slowly.

"No, I think I'll take her with me. Boss will enjoy her a lot more, he may even give her to rest of us,"

"Over my dead body," He instantly charged for them as Lu managed to swing her elbow back into her captor's stomach. He doubled over instantly letting her free. She ran towards the door but paused just long enough to glance back to see Heero fighting with the Viper.

"Go, Zechs is in the din with everyone else. Keep low!" Heero grunted as the Viper got shot at his ribcage.

"I can't leave you!"

"Go!"

"No!" she ran back towards them and wrestled the gun away from the Vipers loose grasp. She aimed with a shaking hand and tears filling her eyes. She roughly rubbed at them and waited for a clear shot.

Duo held Relena back from running after Heero. She tugged and scratched at her friend's arms never noticing the red marks and blood that seeped to the surface. Tears freely fell down her cheeks.

The braided haired man glanced around for help as bullets continued to bombard them. Zechs ran to his aid and helped in pulling his sister back, his own fears evident on his face. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her back into his chest.

"He'll be alright, relax," he soothed.

She turned into him and began to punch her fists into his chest.

"Why? He was already injured. Why did he go after her? Why didn't you or Duo?" she yelled in a near shrill voice. The bullets suddenly stopped and they heard voices yelling back and forth to one another.

"They're out of ammunition," Duo stated, "and it sounds as if they're leaving."

"I hope so," Hilde held onto Duo tighter. Relena suddenly jerked to her feet and ran in the direction that Heero had gone. She jumped at the abrupt heart shattering sound of a single shot that vibrated her insides; she collapsed against the wall once she had reached the mass amount of blood that engulfed her vision. Crimson filled her line of sight until she spotted the bodies lying limply on the floor and leaning against the wall.

She stepped farther into the room slowly turned to see the massive amount of destruction. She covered her mouth as tears welled in her eyes. She finally turned to see the busted doorway to the laundry room and she instantly froze in her stance.

She watched as her sister-in-law knelt down to the form lying on the floor. Lu cradled the figure's head in her lap as she burst into soul-wrenching wails. Relena spotted the head of short black hair and she fell to her knees. She wrapped her arms around her abdomen and rocked back and forth in a daze as the house was overwhelmed in wails from an older woman and stampeding footsteps.

Zechs suddenly stopped at the sight of the struggle and the sight of his sister crumbling in the center of it sent chills down his spine. He held out his arms to stop the rest of the grown group. He then registered the weeping that they had all heard to bring them out of their stupors. He cautiously stepped up beside Relena and knelt down next to her.

"Relena, look at me," he ordered softly, but to no avail she continued to sit in blood and rock back and forth. Her eyes were locked on the sight in the next room. He slowly turned his head to see the sight of his wife covered in blood and cradling a guy. He watched as his wife lift her head to lock gazes with him.

"No," he muttered. He ran into the room instantly noticing a second body not two feet away from the two others in the floor. He knelt to one knee opposite of his wife and glanced down to the form of a silent and still Heero Yuy. He swept at the wet bangs that shadowed his closed eyes; he lowered his hand down to his neck and pressed to find a pulse. He lifted his head once again to see his wife's sorrowful eyes.

"He took the bullet. It had been meant for me; the Viper had said that if he couldn't have me no one would. Oh, Zechs, why did he take the bullet?" She kissed the teen's forehead as her tears took over her body once again.

(end of chapter)


	6. Chapter 6

Same disclaimer as all the others….don't own 'em. Thank you very much…

Poison Apples

Chapter 6

Hilde slowly went over to her friend and cautiously placed her hand to her shoulder, but the blond continued to rock and back forth, staring into the abyss.

"Rel, Honey, snap out of it. Come on, you can't stay here all day it's not healthy," she declared as she tried to pull her to her feet. Relena was firmly in place; there was no moving her. Hilde glanced over her shoulder to the group to urge them to help her, but her head snapped back to the blond.

"Get out, Hilde, get away from me. All of you get away from this town," she whispered.

"Relena," she interjected.

"Please, I couldn't stand it if anyone else got hurt because of me," she stated, her eyes never left the form in the other room. Hilde turned her head to see Lu crying with Heero's limp form in her lap while Zechs knelt with his head bowed. The dark haired girl gasped as tears brimmed her eyes. She looked back to Relena and wrapped her arms around her.

Relena didn't return the embrace; she just keep staring at the scene before her. Her eyes never blinking and she didn't anything more to the group to her left.

"Lu, come on, let him go. What happened?" Zechs asked.

"It was terrible the Viper was about to…" she let out another wail and held onto the teenager tighter.

"Lu," the blonde's heart shattered into a million pieces but he had to hear the actions that led to this.

"Lu, please I have to know," His wife nodded her head and forced her tears back to soft sniffles.

"The Viper jumped me just as the gun fight started in the other room, I was helpless to do anything. I couldn't even push him off. The next thing I know the door bursts open and Heero standing there holding his gun at him; he didn't shoot him, so I can only assume that he was out of bullets. Then I managed to get loose and he tackled him," she answered pointing to the form not far from her. Zechs glanced over then back to his wife.

"Lu, you've got to calm down," he stated as he laid his hand to her shoulder. Her head snapped up to stare at him.

"Calm down, Zechs; Heero is dead,"

"He's not dead, he may wish he was when he regains consciousness, but he's not,"

"What?" Lu looked down to the pale face and limp head. She glanced down to the barely rising bloody chest.

"We have to get him to the hospital," she breathed, she stared in horror as Zechs shook his head.

"It won't do any good. The hospitals won't take him; its happened before," the blond man stated.

"He'll die if we don't get him to the hospital," she whispered.

"We just have to stop the bleeding. I'll take him upstairs you just need to go to Relena, she needs you right now," he pushed his arms beneath the teen and lifted up. He instantly realized something wasn't right. He rolled him over to see the bullet hole in his shirt at his lower back, and the many other places that didn't seem as severe. He lowered his arm to hook the teen's knees and wrapped his other arm under his shoulders. He slowly stood as Lu followed. Zechs swiftly went past his sister and Hilde then shoved through the group. He absently registered the look of utter horror on Duo's face at the sight of his best friend limp in the older man's arms.

Lu went over to the two women in the floor and knelt in front of her sister-in-law. She framed the teen's face with her hands and lifted her absent aquamarine eyes to hers.

"he's not dead, Relena,"

Those simple words snapped life back into her empty ocean orbs.

"What?" her voice was hoarse and hollow, but her eyes held a tiny spark in them.

"Your brother realized it; it seemed like he was when he collapsed into me. I'm so sorry, Rellie; please forgive me,"

"Where is Zechs taking him?"

"Upstairs, but he won't take him to the hospital. He needs to go the hospital, he's in to bad of a condition to not go," Lu informed with a shake of her head.

"It wouldn't do any good, they wouldn't take him," Relena stated with a sad smile on her face. She was instantly on her feet. Hilde and Lu gawked at the blood as it slithered down her legs from her smeared jeans and what was now her red tee-shirt. The watched her suddenly take off shoving through the group causing Wufei to slam into the wall next to him.

Duo turned to the group of new people.

"I don't know who you are, and at the moment I don't care. You can take these bodies outside. I don't give a flying fuck what you do with them," he growled then followed the blond teenager up the stairs.

((Hilde helped Lu up and went over the group Hilde started to say something but she was interrupted.

"Don't worry about it, we'll take care of everything; it's the least we could do,"))

Relena came to an abrupt stop in the open doorway at the sight of her brother leaning over Heero's body. She went over slowly to see him covered in blood and as more of the crimson liquid seeped into the sheets. She covered her mouth as a gasp filled the silence of the room. Zechs turned back to her then back to Heero.

"I need your help, Relena. We have to get the bleeding to stop but I can't do it by myself,"

"Why?" she asked as she went around to the opposite side of the bed. She slid up to sit next to Heero, and caressed her fingers through his bangs.

"Ask the people downstairs, they're the ones that came and started talking about the two of you in the airport. Evidently the town doesn't you or Heero here anymore. A woman gave a warning that the sooner you get out of town the better you're off. At least that was the jest of it," Zechs stated, he lifted his eyes up to spot the look of anger contorting her features.

"Relena, help me first then you can go attack them," he stated snapping his sister back to the present.

Duo clinched his fists at his sides and he stared at the siblings surrounding his best friend. The mischievous spark that usually took precedence in his violet eyes was gone and the only thing that darkened his eyes were the hot hatred and anger that flamed them. He spun around in place from the open doorway to suddenly take off back down the stairs into the sight of broken glass, tables, and bullet holes in the walls. He listened to the sounds of people talking and headed that way. He came into the mud room area and tackled the first guy he came across.

"What the hell?" Wufei exclaimed as he fell to the floor with Duo throwing fists at every possible place. He quickly regained himself and returned the assault. The rest of the group ran over followed by Lu and Hilde coming in from the other room. Trowa and Quatre entered the fight intending to break it up, but it wasn't exactly working.

Hilde turned to Lu.

"Go get Zechs," the younger dark haired girl said as she went over to try and pull her boyfriend off the stranger. Lu ran from the room and through the rest of the house until she reached her husband. She stopped at the doorway.

"Duo's down stairs fighting the Chinese man that came this morning. It doesn't look good, the other two guys are trying to brake it up but its not working," she heaved. She held her hand to her abdomen as she labored with her breathing.

Zechs jumped up and turned to his sister who continued to sit there.

"Stay and try to get the bleeding to stop. I'll be right back," he stated leaving the room. Lu went over to the bed and her sister-in-law. She sat on the edge of the bed and helped her out silently. She studied her carefully as the blond put pressure on the more severe wounds.

Zechs ran into the room and pulled Duo off of the Chinese man and back to where Hilde had been pushed aside. He watched as the two others pull the bloodied man back. The red head knelt at his side and glanced over his injuries. He then realized Duo was yelling something.

"What are you going on about, Maxwell?" he growled.

"It's all their fault. Heero would still be conscious and Relena wouldn't be in a slum again. We had just gotten her out of it before she went after Buddy. Then these guys show up with Vipers on their tails. They come to town practically announcing that Heero and Relena were back in town before they even come to us and figure out what was going on!

"All their fault that he could die." He collapsed to his knees with Hilde's arms around him.

"Shush, it'll be alright, you'll see," she soothed, she glanced up to Zechs as he bowed his head. She watched him clench his own fists before he looked back to the group.

"Go back to where you came from. You've already done enough," he snarled as he turned from the group sure that Duo wouldn't throw any more punches at anyone.

"What the hell was that about?" Wufei asked as he slowly got to his feet.

"Just go away, go back to where ever you all came from. You've already put us back into the gaze of Vipers; don't put your heads on their list. I couldn't take it if any one else was hurt," Hilde stated as she cradled Duo in her arms. The group watched as the man rocked back and forth the same way that Relena had done before she had realized that Heero was still alive.

"We came to help, we didn't mean for all this happen," Cathy softly added as she glanced around the room at all the blood that was still on the walls.

"This is pretty poor way of showing it," she retorted.

Zechs stepped into the room for the conversation to end. He glanced over at the bed to see his sister leaning against the head board with the young man's head on her lap. He noticed that they had managed to get the bleeding to stop. He went over carrying the massive first aid kit; he sat it on the floor between his wife and him.

"How bad?" he asked absently as he looked over the injuries that he had sustained in the short gun fight.

"I don't think anything of vital importance was hit, at least it doesn't look to be that way?" Lu informed.

"Then why is he still unconscious? Why won't he wake up?" Relena asked caressing his cleaner cheek. Blood still smeared the tanned flesh from her own bloodied fingers.

"That was a lot of strain on him after being hit in the back from the kitchen and then going after Lu and getting hit several more times. His mind just collapsed on him and it needs time to recuperate. He'll be alright, you'll see," Zechs believed. He lifted his head up to stare into the blonde's stormy ocean eyes. He went back to tenderly wrapping bandages around his frame. With a little help from his wife and sister when he needed to go beneath his abdomen; he glanced to his back to make sure that the wound of gauss was packed tight against the more serious of his wounds while the other scraps were covered by the rest of the binding.

He lifted his head once more after he was finished, and smirked at his sister.

"I believe Duo would have killed the China man down stairs if I hadn't come down. The other two were trying to get them apart but it wasn't working," He listened to her chuckle softly.

"I'm not surprised; Heero and he were close," she stated. She lowered her head back down to the man in her lap.

"Relena, why did Jim take you away from town every so often. I know its none of my business but I need to know what was going on back then. He just acted so strangely after a certain point in time. Answer my questions please," Zechs asked slowly at first.

"I can't answer them now, Brother, to much has happened to bring old memories back so soon,"

"Alright, but I want to know. I'll give you a little longer,"

"Why do you want to know? What has Heero told you?" she asked quietly.

"I want to know because I want to help Heero and you, but I can't get that done because of an old court case that sent Heero away from town and from you."

"I'll tell you once Heero is better. I'll tell you once he can help me," she muttered.

Cathy stood up from the floor to step between the dark haired girl and Trowa, Quatre, and Wufei.

"Listen we came because we know about Vipers, we know how they work. We came because it would be a suicide mission if Heero and Relena did it on their own. We know Heero can take, we know what he has done, and what he is capable of," the red-head fumed.

"We've lived with Vipers running our town for the past few years have you? Have you had to constantly watch your back because of something you may or may not have said the last few minutes may have offended one of them. No, I don't think you have," Hilde retorted with her own temper flaring.

"Listen, pip squeak, I've had to deal with my brother leaving in the middle of the night to go off to some secret place for who knows how long. I'm left on my own because Quatre and Wufei had to go with him. I've had to sit at home worrying endlessly because they couldn't even send word to me that they were alright. I've had to stand back and watch as either Quatre and Wufei bring Heero and my brother back unconscious and blooding or vice versa. I've seen more blood to be practically immune to it," Cathy continued, her fists clenched at her sides and tears streaming down her cheeks. Trowa came up behind her wrapping his arms around her. She didn't turn into them but she did release her fists.

"Cathy," Trowa muttered, she glanced back to her brother to see his slow shaking head. She sighed and slumped her shoulders.

"Fine, but I won't apologize for doing something that I thought needed to be done," she fumed. Her brother let her go and she went over to the couple across from them. She held out her hand to the dark haired girl. Hilde glanced from it to her eyes.

"A truce," Cathy added. Hilde glanced down to Duo who had finally calmed down enough to look her in the eyes.

"I'm not part of it, Babe. It's all you, I don't trust them until I can get more about them from Heero. She has said some things that jive but that's just for me. Its your decision," he slow stood his feet. He dusted himself off and turn from the group and his girlfriend. Hilde turned back to Cathy, and sighed. She grasped her hand and shook.

"Truce, just so you know, I'll try to keep Relena from killing you," she informed with a small grin that sparked a mischievous flame in her navy blue eyes.

"Do you think it's safe to go and see how he's doing while the guys clear all this out?" Cathy asked with a absent wave of her thumb to the three behind her.

"It might if it's only you. Maybe you can help in some way," she looped her arm through her new friend's and they left the room.

"What just happened?" Wufei asked with a growl.

"I believe my sister just a new friend with the guy that attacked your girlfriend," Quatre stated flatly. He nudged Trowa and the two of them started moving on of the last bodies outside. Wufei shook his head and drug the last body behind them.

Hilde and Cathy came to the open doorway to see Relena running her fingers through Heero's bangs while Lu gently rubbed a washcloth over the undamaged skin cleaning the blood from him.

Relena ignored the new comers as they came over to stand at the edge of the bed.

"How is he doing?" Hilde asked.

"He's breathing normally," Lu said as she finished up. She slid the washcloth into the bowl of water that was on the night-stand. She lifted her head and jumped slightly.

"Oh, hello; I'm afraid I didn't get your name earlier. I'm Lucrezia Marquise, Zechs' wife,"

"I'm Cathy Barton, ma'am. I'm terribly sorry for the trouble that we've caused." She noticed that Hilde already had her mouth opened.

"I know, I said that I wouldn't apologize downstairs, but I've changed my mind. If we had kept our mouths shut until we found out more then this wouldn't have happened," she stated. Tears filled her eyes as she looked at Heero's form. She caught Relena's gaze.

"I'm sorry," she muttered. Relena instantly ran around to her and Hilde. She wrapped her arms around them as Lu stood at the side lines. Relena glanced over to the older woman and held out an arm. The four of them were wrapped up in a hug at the end of the bed each crying their eyes out.

"Please, if you're going to cry over me, at least do it when I'm unconscious,"

The group spun around their tears still falling from their eyes. They each instantly ran closer to the still figure that had used a low and rough voice. Relena crawled up to sit at his head, Cathy in the same spot only on the opposite side. Lu was below her and Hilde across from her.

Relena leaned down and kissed him soundly on the mouth with a fervor that put red tints to the others' cheeks.

"Alright, let him breath," Lu said with a laugh when moans started to fill her ears, and she wasn't exactly sure whether they were from Relena or Heero more. Relena lifted her head but didn't take her eyes from his.

"Wow, maybe I should do this more often," he muttered.

"Like hell you are!" the blonde exclaimed. Heero groaned and slid his eyes closed.

"Please, don't yell; I have one of the worst headaches ever," he mumbled.

"Sorry," she whispered as she cocooned his head in her arms.

"As much as I love all this attention;" Relena loosened her grip on him while he attempted to sit up. Unfortunately, eight hands were against him and pushing him back down.

"Oh no you don't, Heero Yuy; you're not leaving this room until you're healed more than you are now," Cathy informed with the approval of heads going up and down.

"Ladies, I can't stay in this bed when there are to many things that need to be done. Vipers know that we're here and that there are more than they thought would be here. Everyone is in danger here now, and we all have to find someplace else to stay until it blows over and where I can actually do something without doubling over in pain," Heero stated.

"and just where are we going to go? I don't know about you but this is the only place that I know of that is safe enough to do anything in," Hilde stated staring at her injured friend.

"I haven't figured that out yet, give me a break I just regained consciousness," he dejected.

"I do," Relena muttered, she slowly lifted her head to look at the rest of the group. She didn't dare look Heero in the eye now.

"Relena," he muttered. She could hear the soft underlying tone of "what are you thinking".

"Look at me, Lena. We can't go there, not now,"

"It's the only place that we've got. Besides there will be plenty of room for the others that have came," She let a smile cross her face, but Heero could tell that sadness laced it. Her eyes were just barely holding back tears of a new kind.

"I can't do that to you, Lena,"

"There's no other place to go, Heero; it's the smart thing to do, and the right thing to do. There's no better place to tell my brother than that spot," she framed his face and kissed him gently.

"I'm going to go tell the everyone that you're awake and that we've figured out a place to regroup at. Cathy, would you stay and look over him; make sure he doesn't try to get up,"

"He won't move a inch," the red head stated, she crossed her arms over her chest and gave a jerk of a nod to her.

"Excellent, Hilde, you and Lu need to go around to the rooms and make sure that we only take what we absolutely need. I'll get Zechs to check on the vehicles and see if there will be a way to salvage them so that we can get out of town,"

"Rel, tell Duo first, he's probably in the game room, and be careful," Hilde added.

"I will, don't worry," she stated and she turned from the group to go about her plan. She couldn't look back to Heero while he laid there with Cathy next to him.

(End chapter)


	7. Chapter 7

Natural disclaimer applies…

Poison Apples

Chapter 7

She found him in exactly the spot where Hilde said she might find him. Duo walked around the battered pool table, the only light that was on was the long low lamp over the table. It sent long shadows into the pockets and from the remaining balls spatter across the green. She watched him silently as he leaned down aiming the cue stick to send the 7 ball zipping to far corner pocket with a loud and high pitched 'crack'. She slowly went closer to him and gently put a hand to his shoulder. He slumped against her touch and instantly stopped chalking the cue stick. He didn't look at her, but kept his eyes on the table before him.

"Duo, everything's alright," she whispered to him.

"How can you say that, Relena? Heero's up stairs unconscious in your bed, bleeding so bad that its unlikely that he'll get up," he still hadn't turned to look at her.

"I can say that because he is alive. He's alive and conscious; Duo, he's talking as if nothing ever happened. We've talked and we've figured out a place to go to while he regains his strength and while we think of a plan to get Vipers back. Hilde and Lu are right now going through rooms to back stuff and I'm going to head to the others to tell them to join us and to get my brother to make sure that the cars are running. I just wanted to tell you first that Heero is fine," she grinned at him when he jerked his head up to look her in the eyes. Duo's violet eyes were hollow as they bored into her oceans. She nodded her head to him and he suddenly took off towards the door.

"Duo, Cathy's with him. This wasn't their fault, we all knew that this would happen when I came back with Heero. It was just a matter of time, I know what you're feeling and I wanted to do it myself, but I've cooled down and I know that there are more important matters in front of us than some silly rift between us and the others. Hilde and her have made up, we girls are going to stick together, we just need your help with the guys," she informed.

"I don't know if I can do that, Rel," he muttered.

"Try," she said before she watched him take off again.

* * *

She entered the room where everything had went down hill from this morning. She found Trowa, Quatre, and Wufei scrubbing most of the blood from the walls. She cleared her throat to their attentions. They turned their heads and stopped. They each stared at her in shock and confusion.

"Relena, what are you doing down here? Is something wrong with Heero?" Quatre asked quietly.

"No, he's fine; actually he's conscious and acting as if nothing happened. What I came down here to tell you is that he's alright and that we've decided to leave this house until he has recuperated more and we have a plan to get back at Vipers. I know of a place that we can all stay in; it has plenty of room and its remote. As far as I know, no one knows that its there except for Heero and myself. We should be fairly safe," she informed.

The group stared at her spotting all the blood, which was dried now, caking her clothes, face, and hair. She was nothing but a dirty reddish brown from head to toe.

"You mean you want us to come with you and the others?" Quatre asked.

"Of course, you can't stay here in town, no one will help you. We will," she gave a small smile that didn't reach her sad eyes. She knew what they were thinking and she went closer to them. She spotted Wufei's busted lip and black eyes.

"I'm sorry, Wufei; he's not usually this violent. He's usually the one that drives everyone insane with jokes and pranks,"

"Don't worry about it, Relena; all that hurts him is his pride," Trowa stated with a nudge of his elbow in the China man's side.

"Yeah," he grumbled. Relena chuckled.

"Anyway, Heero's fine and we could use all the help we can get with moving things from the house and getting Heero down the stairs. Have you seen my brother, by any chance?"

"I think I saw him go outside a little while ago actually," Quatre informed thumbing back towards the kitchen door.

"Thanks," she muttered as she went past them to find her brother.

The group watched her leave and was instantly on edge.

"Something's not right here," Trowa stated.

"You feel it too?" Quatre asked with a shiver.

"Why is she acting as if she's walking through a fog? She didn't seem all that excited when she told us that Heero was alright and awake," Trowa wondered.

"She's hiding something, and I have a feeling that it has something to do with the place where we'll be staying at," Wufei added, "Come on, lets go see how Heero is and see how we can help." The other two nodded and followed the Chinese man out of the room.

* * *

Relena spotted her brother instantly once she was outside. She walked as he dumped gasoline over the corpses stacked in a pile away from the house. She went over closer to him as he lit a match. She tenderly wrapped her fingers around his forearm just before he tossed the lit stick.

"All that will do is stink up the entire town,"

"It deserves it," he growled as he let the match go and to watch the bodies engulf in flames. The two of them stood there as the toxic fumes rose over their heads. Relena turned to her brother after a few minutes.

"Zechs, Heero's awake and acts like he's good as new. We've figured out a place to go where everyone will be fairly safer from Vipers until he has fully recuperated and until we all can come up with a plan of attack,"

"Heero's conscious? How?"

"I don't know, other than he's stronger than he used to be and he was always strong. Nothing could keep him down for very long," she added solemnly.

"Will you tell me?" Relena turned her gaze to his from staring at the flames.

"I mean, where we are going?" he added quickly.

"We're going," she stopped in mid sentence and spun around to watch shrub branches moving.

"Leave us alone, haven't you done enough. We're leaving what more do you want?" she yelled to the bushes as they continued to move. She glared at them and stormed over and shoved aside the dying foliage.

"Relena!" Zechs exclaimed as he grabbed for her arm. Her skin slipped through his fingers. He instantly followed her. He reached her just as she froze in mid push.

"What is it, Rel?" he asked as he watched his sister bend over and come back up holding a little girl. Zechs stared at the sight of the small dirty little girl. From what he could tell she supposedly had blond hair but all he managed to see was dirt that was matted in the long locks and smudged on her chubby cheeks.

"What are you doing here? Why aren't you with your parents?" Relena asked, her voice had instantly lost its anger and had turned soft and sad. Zechs looked from the child, of possibly five years old, to his sister.

The child remained silent but she kept her eyes on Relena's as she wrapped her arms around her neck tightly.

"Hey now, you didn't tell me your name. I'm Relena and this is my brother Zechs, okay?" she added as the girl lifted her head to look from one sibling to the other. She laid her cheek back down on her shoulder and closed her eyes.

"Anna," she whispered and Relena instantly knew that she had fallen asleep. She lifted her head up to stare at her brother.

"What just happened here? Who is she?" he quizzed.

"I have no idea, but she needs our help. I'll get more out of her when she has some food and is awake more,"

"Relena, you don't know who she is. You don't even know who or where her parents are," Zechs added while he watched her roll her eyes at him as she turned to head back into the house. He took off after her completely ignoring the growing bon fire behind them.

"Rel, now what are you doing? The room is covered in blood what if she wakes up while you're walking through it?"

"Relax, brother of mine, she is out like a light. Why don't you go find of the guys and go back outside to make sure the fire doesn't get out of control?"

"Then where are you going?" he asked as she continued on her way through the room.

"Relena,"

"Shush, she doesn't need to wake to all this, and I'm taking her upstairs so I can check on Heero and see how things are coming together. If I see one of the guys I'll send them down," she informed as she climbed the steps. Zechs shook his head as he gave a sigh. He turned back towards the door.

* * *

Relena glanced down to the little girl in her arms and smiled as she reached the open doorway to the bedroom. She jumped as she realized nearly everyone was in the room.

"What the hell? Relena, who's the kid?" Duo asked as he stood up from the edge of the bed.

"I don't know, Zechs and I were burning the bodies and the next thing we knew the shrubs behind us were moving and I went over to see who was there, and I found her. All I've gotten out of her before she fell asleep was her name,"

"And?" Hilde left the question open as the others kept their eyes on her.

"And all she said was Anna," Relena shrugged; she started towards Heero, but stopped.

"Oh, Trowa, Wufei, would one of you go help Zechs keep the fire under control?"

"Sure, we'll both go," Trowa informed and they both left the room.

"Have you two gotten everything ready to get out of here?" she asked Cathy and Hilde who nodded their heads.

"Good," she lowered her eyes as Anna yawned and lifted her head. She gave a small smile to the grown woman, but it soon disappeared when she glanced around the rest of the room. She held on to her tighter.

"It's alright, sweety; they won't hurt you. No one in this house will," she soothed. She caressed her hand down her hair.

"Duo, would you and Quatre go to the kitchen and find something for her to eat. Oh, I forgot to ask Zechs about the cars; would you check on them?"

"Sure," Duo shrugged nudging Quatre's elbow. The two guys left the room.

"Rel, we'll go with them to make sure that they do it right," Hilde added with a little wave to the girl.

"Say, what would you like to eat?" Cathy asked.

Anna looked up to Relena to see her smile and nod.

"An apple, please,"

"Is that all? Would you like a sandwich too? I know we've got peanut butter and jelly, how about turkey and cheese?" the girls giggled at her scrunched up face.

"Do you have any grape jelly?" Anna asked hopefully.

"We sure do," Hilde grinned.

"Crust?" Cathy added. Once again they chuckled at her petite wrinkled nose.

"Alright, PB and J, with no crust, coming right up," Hilde proclaimed.

"And your apple will be along shortly," Cathy added with a grin. Anna smiled at them as they left. She then noticed another woman and the man lying in the bed. She tilted her head at them and nearly jumped from Relena's arms. She let her down and Anna ran over to the bed and scrambled up to sit on her knees beside him. She lifted a finger and poked it into Heero's forehead where blood had stained it.

"You're the guy that the bad men wanted to hurt, aren't you?"

"Bad men; how do you know about the bad men?" Lu asked softly.

"My big brother was going to join them, but then he disappeared. I don't know where he's at now. I thought I saw him outside but I don't know," she whispered as she lowered her head.

"Outside?" Relena covered her mouth as tears filled her eyes. Anna nodded her head.

"What did he look like, honey?" Lu asked.

"He's tall and usually has a scruffy chin, and he has really bright blue eyes," she stated with a tilt of her head. She noticed Heero flinch his hands until they were in tight fists in the sheets. She turned her head up to see the older woman spin around away from her. Her pale blue eyes closed as she lowered her head.

"I did see him, didn't I?" she whispered.

"I'm afraid so," Heero added.

"He's the one that did this to you, didn't he?" she kept her head down as she fiddled with a loose thread from the sheet. She let the rough hand that slid under her chin lift her face up; she gazed into the deep Prussian blue eyes that seemed almost broken-hearted.

"I'm sorry, mignon," she crawled up to him and cradled herself against his ribs and laid her cheek on his chest. Heero flinched with a quiet sucking of air through clenched teeth; he quickly ignored it as he wrapped his arm around her protectively. He lifted his head up to Relena to see tears falling from her eyes. He ached to hold her in his arms.

"Rel, I'll go see how Hilde and Cathy are doing with her sandwich and see how far the guys have gotten on getting ready for leaving," Lu stated as she went past her sister-in-law. She gave her a quick hug before she left the room.

Heero lifted his other arm up to her and she instantly ran to the other side and crawled up next to him. She was careful not to rub or hit any of his injuries. The two teenagers listened to the child's quiet sobs. Relena finally broke the silence.

"Do you have any other family that we could take you to?" she watched the girl shake her head. Relena reached over and ran her hand over her hair and down her back. She lifted her hand up to be clasped by Anna.

"He was all I had," she added softly.

"You'll stay with us," Heero informed, "We'll take care of you now."

Anna shot her head up to stare into his eyes, her own gleamed with a small flicker of hope. She glanced over and waited for Relena's nod of agreement. She smiled and enthusiastically wrapped her small arms around Heero and Relena.

"Thank you, so much," Heero groaned as the shock of pain erupted through his entire body. Anna shot back as if he had burned her. Fresh tears shimmered in her eyes.

"Sh, I'm alright, Mignon, I'm just fine," he managed and forced his mouth to grin at her. She shook her head making her loose hair to slap her face over and over again. Heero sat up slowly and pulled her over to him.

"I am, don't make me have to make you see reason like I do with Relena here," he smirked. She finally giggled as she swiped at her tears.

"Ta dah!" Hilde and Cathy both exclaimed as they came into the door way. Hilde carried a paper plate with the sandwich on it while Cathy held the apple and knife.

Anna smiled at them.

"Hilde, are the boys done downstairs and packing things into the working car?" Relena asked.

"Yeah, they started on that. I've pack most of Duo's stuff that we couldn't bare to loose, and with Vipers the way they are I wouldn't want to leave it here,"

"Don't worry about it. Anna, why don't you Cathy and Hilde stay here with Heero while I go talk to those guys that were all in here," Anna nodded her head. Relena smiled at her before she left the room.

* * *

Relena slowly made her way down the stairs as she wrapped her arms around herself. She ignored the blood that still covered the walls as she went back outside. She spotted the group of five guys and grinned. They had started to get along the ordeal of earlier was slowly floating in the distance.

She went up to them and wrapped her arm through her brother's.

"Did you guys get the cars working?" she asked.

"Yeah, all we gotta do is get everything in them," Duo added.

"Excellent, can everyone get in the one with one of you guys driving Heero's motorcycle?"

"Should be able to," Zechs stated.

"Even better," she grinned.

"So who's the kid?" Duo asked with his own familiar grin spread across his face.

"She's just some girl that came out of the bushes. She saw her brother," Her smile was gone now and her eyes were turned to the still burning bodies.

"She saw her brother? What?" Quatre muttered. Relena nodded her head solemnly.

"The one that Heero killed," she lifted her head up to see the emotions instantly evaporate from her brother's face.

"You mean," Duo started, but stopped at the nod of Relena's head.

"Shit," he mumbled.

"Don't say anything to her, she knows that her brother is dead and he's the one that hurt Heero but she doesn't know who killed him as far I can tell. She's instantly grown fond of him, she's up there right now lying beside him. Hilde and Cathy brought her something to eat before I left,"

"Does she have any family that we can take her to?" Trowa asked.

"No, I've already asked, and she doesn't. Heero told her that she could stay with us,"

"You mean to tell me that he's letting the kid stay here with the rest of us. We do good to take care of ourselves," Duo interrupted.

"Yeah, pretty much," she added, "and I think it's a splendid idea. You've not seen her with him. Its just adorable, they get along so well."

"You're saying that Heero, my buddy Heero, is getting along with a little pip squeak?" Duo continued.

"Yep, and I need you and Trowa to help me get him downstairs. The sooner we get going the sooner we can get Anna to safety," She stated as she grabbed Duo and Trowa's hands and started for the door.

Zechs glanced over to Quatre and Wufei and shook his head.

"I guess we better go get the stuff and put it in the car, make sure there's enough room for everybody,"

"Understood," Quatre nodded.

"Injustice," Wufei muttered. The three of them left the smoldering pile and began the motions of moving everything from the house to the garage.

-- two days later --

The group looked up at the massive house before them and instantly gawked at the majesty of it. Even with the English Ivy growing up the sides and weeds over flowing the yard and path to get to the double entrance doors; they couldn't help lift their heads in wonder.

"What is this place?" Duo asked.

"It's a safe house," Relena simply stated as she glanced to Heero who was limping from the car. He put his arm around her shoulders and leaned over leaving a chaste kiss to her temple. She let her eyes flutter close as she leaned into his warmth.

"Come on, Lena. We need to get inside before the storm gets here," he made his way slowly with Relena's help. He glanced down as small fingers wound through his long fingers. Anna smiled up at him; she laid her cheek to the top of his hand.

The rest of the group watched the three make their way up to the front door. Hilde held onto Duo's hand tightly.

"They look like they belong together, don't they?" she stated softly.

"All three of them," Cathy nodded a tearful smile wavered across her face.

"Duo, come on, Heero's right we need to get this stuff inside before the storm gets here. No one's lived here in a long time and I'm sure that the generator needs to be checked out," Zechs informed. Duo squeezed Hilde's hand before he turned to help the others. The three women followed Relena, Heero, and Anna into the house.

"Wow," Hilde managed as she lifted her head up to see the murals that were faded above her head. She spun around in place as the dust particles flew all around her.

"They used to be so bright. I loved looking at them," Relena informed as she looked back to them.

"How do you know about this place?" Hilde asked.

"Yeah, you knew exactly where it was; I've only been up here once and that was a long time ago," Lu added.

"Daddy, used to bring me up here a lot when I was younger," the blond turned from them, and went into the din area.

"Why would Jim bring you up here? Zechs was the one that brought me up here and that was only after I found out," her sentence drifted off as she glanced around to Hilde and Cathy.

"Found out what?" Hilde and Cathy asked in unison. Lu quickly ran after her sister-in-law and they instantly followed her.

"Zechs is my half-brother, his mother was married before. She was married to Marshall Peacecraft. Then he was killed, but she managed to get away with her son. She met up with my father and it grew and they had me," Relena informed.

"You'd never think, I mean yeah, he looks so different, but most siblings do," Hilde sputtered. Relena grinned.

"Most people don't know; I didn't know myself for quite a while," she added as she went about the room lifting sheets from the furniture and sending dust everywhere. She sneezed then began to fold them absently.

"When did you find out?" Cathy asked.

"I was ten, I over heard one of the fights that Dad and he held regularly. Zechs wanted to join the military, this was before he officially met up with Lu, and Daddy didn't want to hear anything like that. He was a pacifist, and believed that everyone in the family should be," she smiled sadly as she ran her fingers over the still soft white fabric in her arms.

"Can you just hear him now? Relena Marie Darlian what were you thinking when you got back with that Heero Yuy," she muttered to herself.

"Actually, I can hear a few more colorful words," The three women spun around to see the remaining group standing carrying their belongings. Relena lifted her head regally, to stare into her brother's pale blue gaze.

"So this is where Jim brought you all those times before," he watched her nod her head.

"Why?"

"Not now, Brother," she muttered.

"Then when? Heero's alright, you told me you would tell me when, when you had his help. I don't know how patient I can be much longer,"

"Do you really want to know the truth?" Heero growled from the shadows; he stepped forward slowly with Anna by his side.

"Heero," Relena shook her head, "not now. I couldn't take it."

She turned her head to his. He nodded his silent response and then nudged Anna towards her.

"Go on, I need to step outside," he told her as he turned his back on the rest of the group. Anna watched him step out through the French doors leading to the patio in the back yard. She could see the sheet of rain coming closer and closer to their new place to sleep and was instantly scared. She ran over to Relena and wrapped her arms around her neck. The blond lifted her up as she stood; she held her close as she stroked her hair as she swung back and forth.

"Shush, everything will be alright, Anna," she gentled. Anna continued to cry into her shoulder as Relena soothed the child completely ignoring the group that stared at the sight before her.

Hilde and nudged Cathy who caught the message and returned the gesture into Lu; she nodded and help the other two herd the guys into another room away from the Relena and Anna.

* * *

"What is it, girls?" Duo asked.

"Doesn't it seem odd that Relena knows exactly what to do with Anna? I mean, it's like she, well I don't know exactly, it just seems really odd," Hilde questioned.

"Now that you mention it, Buddy hasn't exactly acted himself since Anna showed up. There are even more secrets that they're keeping from us, and I'm getting just about as anxious to know the truth as Zechs is. I'm just about tired of all the lies that they've been feeding us," Duo added.

"How do you think we feel? We had no idea that Heero could even act like he is. All we've ever known him to be like is a soldier, cold, hard, and calloused. Much like how he acted when Vipers attacked the house," Cathy informed.

"I just don't get it. Relena's never kept secrets like this before. She would always tell me everything," Zechs muttered to himself as he stared back to the room where they had just left. Lu went over to her husband and hugged him tightly.

"You've always suspected that Jim, your mother, and her kept something from you, even when you first married me. It all started when all that nonsense with Heero happened," she stated.

"It doesn't make it any easier, Lu," he added.

"I know," she kissed the corner of his mouth.

* * *

Heero made his way through the grown over brambles and thorns until he finally arrived at the place where he hadn't been in several years. He shoved at the rusted gate until it finally swung loose; he gasped at the pain that shot through him from his back and stomach. He quickly ignored it as he spotted two grave stones. One was smaller than the other and he slowly went over to it. He fell to his knees feeling every thorn tear through his jeans and into the flesh of his legs and knees. He reached up pushing the vines away from the old marble to stare at the concave letters.

_Cassandra Jasmine Darlian _

_Here lies the beloved daughter of Relena Marie Darlian and Jonathon Heero Yuy. May the angels guide her to the Father above._

_Born: December 24, 2000_

_Died: December 25, 2000_

He caressed his calloused fingers along the ornate figure of a baby lying on a cloud asleep. He bowed his head as the sky became darker and darker. A bolt of lightning cracked the sky open and a crash of thunder jerked his head up. Tears cascaded down his face as icy cold rain drops started to fall. He was drenched in seconds. He continued to stare at the black sky as streak after streak struck all around him.

"Why? Why did you take her away from me? Why damnit!" he yelled; thunder vibrated in his chest and he lowered his head back to stare at the head stone. His whole body shook with his sobs as his hand fell limp from the hard stone and into the thorns.

"Why?" he whispered.

(end chapter)


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